Action Plan An Action Plan is a plan for making a teaching change that will enhance your students understanding of mathematics. Describe your teaching situation Name ----Mikey Johnston
School ---- Omak Middle School
Teaching assignment ----7th and 8th grade resource room (reading, writing, and math)
Describe your student population (approximate number, ethnicity, language, etc)---We are a very rural district with high poverty rate, approx. 55-60% free or reduced lunches. We border the Colville Indian Reservation, so we have a high number of Native American students. We also have many Hispanic students, but since many of the families are making Okanogan county their permanent homes, we are seeing fewer students that are using English as their second language ( less than 10%, I believe). In my classroom, students are identified with learning disabilities. They have normal IQs, but struggle with learning to read, write/compose, or do math. Many have attention or moderate behavior problems.
Describe your teaching change What teaching change (instruction, assessment, materials) you like to improve?Explain how your teaching change will improve your students’ ability to learn mathematics.Also, describe possible ways that technology might assist you in making your teaching change.
I would like to find ways to motivate my students and help them to "love" learning (or at least acknowledge how important it is to their future). If I could find ways to help them reach real understanding, it would be the key to both of those things. Most of my students benefit from hands-on learning. They would benefit from learning to visualize concepts, but they do not seem able to. I think there are ways that technology can help with the visualization of concepts and even provide for some opportunities to manipulate. Technology usually allows for instant feedback which is also important for the students I work with. They have many learned "bad habits" or misconceptions. The sooner they can correct themselves or see that they are correct in their thinking, the better for short term and long term memory.
Set Teaching Goals Identify at least two teaching goals (measurable accomplishment that if met would enable your students to learn mathematics more effectively).
1)Incorporate hands-on, technology into math lessons at least once a week.
2) I will have each student track their progress on formative assessments, as well as end of unit/chapter tests, MAPS scores in their classroom notebook to present and explain to parents during parent conferences and IEP meetings. We already goal set, so the students will have more information to use for assessing how they are doing and for making adjustments in either their goal or their learning.
Describe Teaching Actions Describe at least two things you are going to do as a teacher to accomplish your teaching goals.These actions may or may not use technology but if they do not use technology, explain why technology is or is not the best teaching tool for your teaching change.
My goals are pretty self explanatory. With the tech goal, I feel like I am building some nice resources from this class, but I also have some great resources right in our own district.
Goal number 2 - Each student will have a classroom notebook for recording progress using graphs. They will also be able to keep copies of their work in their notebook. Assess Teaching Goals Identify how you are going to assess each of your teaching goals (simple method of collecting information to see if your teach goals was met).
I will use my lesson plan book to record when I actually use technology in my math class. I will have the students' notebooks for evidence of goal number two. I will then compare how I am doing with growth in students attitudes and skills over the year to see if their is any coorelation. Timeline Outline a general timeline that identifies when you are going to use your actions, collect your assessment data? I will begin in September and work until May on these goals. I will review how I am doing in January and make any necessary adjustments. Reflection Write a reflection on the results of your action plan.What was difficult?What worked well? How did your students react to the changes you made?What was the impact on student learning?
An Action Plan is a plan for making a teaching change that will enhance your students understanding of mathematics.
Describe your teaching situation
Name ----Mikey Johnston
School ---- Omak Middle School
Teaching assignment ----7th and 8th grade resource room (reading, writing, and math)
Describe your student population (approximate number, ethnicity, language, etc)---We are a very rural district with high poverty rate, approx. 55-60% free or reduced lunches. We border the Colville Indian Reservation, so we have a high number of Native American students. We also have many Hispanic students, but since many of the families are making Okanogan county their permanent homes, we are seeing fewer students that are using English as their second language ( less than 10%, I believe). In my classroom, students are identified with learning disabilities. They have normal IQs, but struggle with learning to read, write/compose, or do math. Many have attention or moderate behavior problems.
Describe your teaching change
What teaching change (instruction, assessment, materials) you like to improve? Explain how your teaching change will improve your students’ ability to learn mathematics. Also, describe possible ways that technology might assist you in making your teaching change.
I would like to find ways to motivate my students and help them to "love" learning (or at least acknowledge how important it is to their future). If I could find ways to help them reach real understanding, it would be the key to both of those things. Most of my students benefit from hands-on learning. They would benefit from learning to visualize concepts, but they do not seem able to. I think there are ways that technology can help with the visualization of concepts and even provide for some opportunities to manipulate. Technology usually allows for instant feedback which is also important for the students I work with. They have many learned "bad habits" or misconceptions. The sooner they can correct themselves or see that they are correct in their thinking, the better for short term and long term memory.
Set Teaching Goals
Identify at least two teaching goals (measurable accomplishment that if met would enable your students to learn mathematics more effectively).
1)Incorporate hands-on, technology into math lessons at least once a week.
2) I will have each student track their progress on formative assessments, as well as end of unit/chapter tests, MAPS scores in their classroom notebook to present and explain to parents during parent conferences and IEP meetings. We already goal set, so the students will have more information to use for assessing how they are doing and for making adjustments in either their goal or their learning.
Describe Teaching Actions
Describe at least two things you are going to do as a teacher to accomplish your teaching goals. These actions may or may not use technology but if they do not use technology, explain why technology is or is not the best teaching tool for your teaching change.
My goals are pretty self explanatory. With the tech goal, I feel like I am building some nice resources from this class, but I also have some great resources right in our own district.
Goal number 2 - Each student will have a classroom notebook for recording progress using graphs. They will also be able to keep copies of their work in their notebook.
Assess Teaching Goals
Identify how you are going to assess each of your teaching goals (simple method of collecting information to see if your teach goals was met).
I will use my lesson plan book to record when I actually use technology in my math class. I will have the students' notebooks for evidence of goal number two. I will then compare how I am doing with growth in students attitudes and skills over the year to see if their is any coorelation.
Timeline
Outline a general timeline that identifies when you are going to use your actions, collect your assessment data? I will begin in September and work until May on these goals. I will review how I am doing in January and make any necessary adjustments.
Reflection
Write a reflection on the results of your action plan. What was difficult? What worked well? How did your students react to the changes you made? What was the impact on student learning?